The Rise of a Hero
by M. L. Ayala
Summary: Two years after arriving in Hyrule, Lya is being hunted by friends and foes alike for reasons that she doesn't entirely understand. New threats surface, and she is forced to make some new alliances as she tries to clear her name and solve a murder.
1. Prologue

Hey everyone! So I decided that it was time for me to rewrite my stories The Death/Return of a Hero, and make the storyline that I've created tie together more smoothly. The format will match_ Lya's Story_ and _Shades of Gray_, both of which come before this in my timeline. While you don't have to read them first, I do recommend it because there will be some references to events from both of those stories, but mostly from _Lya's Story_.

I want to try to update this story every 1 - 2 weeks, it depends on how much time I have to work on it and how often I can get my friend to read through it for me. I'm trying to develop the characters a bit more than I have in the previous version, and that's not quite as easy as I was expecting... but it's an interesting challenge to have to work through.

And so, without further ado, here is _The Rise of a Hero_!

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><p><em><strong>Prologue<strong>_

The sound of footsteps on polished stone echoed through the dark hallways of the palace. A tall figure wearing a deep green cloak strode quickly towards the gardens, a slight smile on his face. Brilliant blue eyes danced with anticipation as he reached the moonlit garden and examined his surroundings.

_It__'__s __so __good __to __be __back_, he thought, sitting down on the edge of one of the fountains. _And __tonight __is __perfect__ … __she __doesn't__suspect __a __thing__ …_

His smile widened and he laid back on the fountain edge, letting his eyes drift closed. _It'__s __not __quite __midnight __yet, __I __have __some __time __before __she __gets __here. __She__'__ll __probably __be __late __anyway. __She __usually __is_, he thought with a chuckle.

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A muffled thump, followed by nearly inaudible scuffling noises awoke him. Sitting up and looking around, there was nothing that seemed to have changed, yet he could sense that something was off. He stood and took a few steps forward.

"Lya?"

No response. He started to sit back down when another figure materialized in the shadows beneath of the trees. As they moved towards him, flowing more than walking, he relaxed.

"There you are. I was starting to think you weren't coming," he sighed and looked up at the moon. "I've missed you. I wish I could have taken you with me, but you would have been bored out of your mind. Those mountain villagers …" he trailed off and looked questioningly at the figure behind him. "What's wrong? You're never this quiet."

The figure shifted so that just enough light hit them to reveal their profile. He jumped back and reached for the sword that should have been strapped to his back, remembering at the last moment that he had left it in his room. Before he could make another move, the figure had zipped forward and knocked him backwards. When he fell, his head hit the edge of the fountain and his vision went black for a few seconds. As his sight returned, the figure leaned over him and whispered in a smooth voice, "Your death is only the beginning. Soon we will have what we seek, and we will rise again. A storm approaches, and there is nothing you can do to stop it."

A thin hand clamped over his mouth as a dagger appeared at the edge of his vision. His eyes widened and he jerked away, trying to escape, but he was too slow.

This time the blackness came slowly. Images flashed through his mind, most of them involving a girl with wild, tangled hair and dark eyes, smiling from behind a mask of self doubt.

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><p>AN - If anyone read the first chapter to The Death of a Hero you can already spot some differences between the two stories. So, questions, comments, concerns? Leave me a review and let me know what you think!<p> 


	2. Chapter 1

__Hey everyone, I'm so sorry that it's taken me this long to update this story. I had been planning on having this chapter up a week after I posted the prologue, but when I showed it to my friend, she started picking it apart, and I realized that this chapter and the next one needed a lot of help. However, I think we've finally got it back on track, and my friend agrees, so here is Chapter 1.

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 1<strong>_

Lya trudged down the hallway holding a small lantern out in front of her. _Why can't this stupid castle have lights, torches, something, in the hallways so you don't have to bring your own light source_, she thought bitterly as her lantern sputtered out and left her in darkness. She dropped it near the wall and gave it a kick for good measure. Overall, it had not been a good day. Actually, it had not been a good month.

Ever since Link had left for the mountains several days to the North, life had been rather unpleasant. Then again, few things had gone right since she'd returned the year before. Not many people remembered what had happened two years ago thanks to the magic that she had unleashed when she stopped Ganondorf's attack on the kingdom. It seemed to have erased most of the events from history, leaving only a handful of individuals with the knowledge of the true events. It hadn't erased the distrust though.

Most of the townspeople and villagers who lived close to the castle seemed uneasy around her and avoided her. As if it hadn't been hard enough to come back after a year of wandering other worlds and then admit that she had been wrong for leaving in the first place, now she had to deal with the constant looks of disdain and sometimes fear from anyone who crossed her path. The only people who treated her like nothing had happened were Link, his grandmother, and King Daltus.

About two months after returning home, Link had found her curled up in a corner in the castle library, sobbing quietly to herself. It had taken him a long time, but Lya finally told him about how she had almost destroyed an entire system of worlds shortly before she had come home. Something about a door that allowed you to travel back in time and change the past, a suggestion gone wrong, and a boy who helped her set it all right. Link didn't tell her that he already had some idea of what had happened, since he had mentally linked with her while she was there and had given her some encouragement. She seemed to think that she had imagined those exchanges, and he knew that it wasn't the right time to explain it to her.

After that he did his best to keep her close to him. The other Hylians seemed to be more willing to acknowledge her if he was nearby. Her depression started to fade over time, and a bit of her old confidence returned, though he could still see that she doubted herself.

When he had left to deal with some disputes and monster sightings near the mountain villages, Lya had been sure that she would handle his absence well. She hadn't expected everyone to go back to ignoring her within a few days of his departure.

Earlier this evening, there had been a note tacked to her door telling her to come to the garden at midnight. Recognizing the handwriting as Link's, she had spent an hour scouring the castle and surrounding gardens trying to find him. When she couldn't find any trace of him, she had set off in a huff for the library, intending to read until it was time to meet him. Somewhere between _The Ballads of Old Hyrule_ and _Sparks, Glitter, and Flares: A Guide to Unsubstantial Magic_, she had fallen asleep. When she jerked awake some time later and looked at the clock, she realized that it was past midnight.

Jumping to her feet, she had stumbled out to the hallway, only to have to turn around and hunt for a light small enough for her to carry. And she just happened to pick the one that had been running low on oil. So here she was, muttering curses under her breath as she felt her way down to the gardens.

_You would think I would know my way around this place by now_, she thought as she backtracked after taking a wrong turn. _Almost there now…_ The door to the garden had been left open just a crack and she stepped outside. A violent chill ran down her spine, causing her to shiver. It was cold out, but not that cold. _Something's not right…_

Lya scanned the garden, but she couldn't see anything amiss from where she was. Tiptoeing down the path, she approached the nearest fountain and slowed. The farther she went, the stronger the feeling of uneasiness grew, to the point where she was afraid to take another step. She considered going back inside, but reminded herself that Link was out here somewhere. He was supposed to be, anyway. Getting closer to the fountain, she noticed a figure slumped against the edge on the far side.

"I see I wasn't the only one who fell asleep," she laughed. He didn't move. "Link?" She took another step and her feeling of uneasiness changed to dread. The moon was behind some clouds, so there wasn't much light, but she could see that something dark had stained the stones of the pathway beneath him, and he still hadn't moved. "Link?" her voice was a panicked squeak and she started trembling.

Another step, and another, and another, and suddenly the clouds parted. Moonlight streamed down and Lya stood with her mouth open in a soundless scream.

There was enough light to illuminate the pool of blood beneath him, and the dark blood stains that covered his clothes. Lya tried to walk towards him but she couldn't make herself move. His eyes, which normally appeared a brilliant sparkling blue, were now a dull and unfocused dark shade somewhere between blue and gray. A slight breeze brushed his cloak aside and she could see several slab wounds on his chest. Then the moon was back behind the clouds and the garden was left in shadow again.

Finally finding her voice, Lya let out an ear-piercing scream and fell to her knees. Her alternating sobs and shrieks eventually brought some of the guards running to see what had happened.

"What's this?" cried one, as he held a lantern out in front of him.

"Murder!" shouted another. "It's Link!"

They turned and stared at Lya, who had curled into a ball and was still sobbing.

"Come now, lass, we'd best get you away from here," said the captain of the guards as he pulled Lya to her feet. "Come on," he coaxed her gently.

He led her to the throne room and left her with two other guards while he went back to the garden.

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By the sixth hour, everyone in the castle knew that there had been a murder. By the seventh, the news had spread throughout Castle Town and the immediately surrounding villages. By the eighth, it was well on its way to the outer edges of the kingdom.

No two stories agreed on the conditions or the victim. The tales of murder ranged from drowning to assassination by Stalfos, and the victims from the kitchen boy to the king. One thing was agreed upon, though, this was the first murder to occur on the castle grounds.

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Lya sat huddled in a small chair at the edge of the throne room. A few people had tried to talk to her, but they gave up when she didn't answer, or even acknowledge that she heard them. Now it was almost noon and a few more people were filtering in and taking up positions around the room.

Zelda swept in a few minutes after everyone had settled, and the crowd rose to bow and curtsy to her. She looked down her nose at the small group, her sharp gaze settling on Lya, who hadn't stood.

"As you all know, we have a situation. Never in the history of this kingdom has a murder taken place on castle grounds," she bowed her head, "Link would want us to come together and find this threat." She looked up and tears glistened in her eyes. "He was a friend and hero to us all, so we need to work together. Everyone in this room may have something helpful to contribute to this investigation." She stood even straighter, "So. Who wants to share what they know?

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><p>AN - If any one is interested in being a beta for this story, please let me know.


	3. Chapter 2

Hey everyone! Here is Chapter 2, hope you enjoy!

Many thanks to Riku's Music Lover, who was kind enough to beta this for me :)

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 2<strong>_

Five agonizing hours later, Lya was still sitting in the throne room while Zelda listened to different accounts of what had happened the day before. _This is getting a little ridiculous,_ she thought. _Not one of these people has anything relevant to say._

Zelda nodded at the last person who had spoken and gestured for them to sit down again. "Well, thank you all. I believe I have everything that I need now. You may go."

The group stood and curtsied or bowed before filing out.

Lya stood slowly, trying to decide where she should go. Before she had time to move, Zelda snapped her fingers and two guards grabbed ahold of Lya. She looked back and forth between the guards and the princess.

"Zelda, what's going on?" she asked, her voice sounding tired.

"Weren't you listening, Lya? Everyone said that Link was going to see you at midnight. No one saw him go to the garden, but he hadn't been dead long when the guards found him. All of the evidence points to you right now."

"WHAT?" Lya pulled away from the guards and stared at Zelda in disbelief. "How can you accuse me of murdering Link? I loved him!"

"Well, you still need an alibi. And an explanation for why you were standing over his body…"

"I was in the library reading. And before you ask, there wasn't anyone in there with me. As for them finding me near his … his," she inhaled and tried not to start sobbing again. "I was there because I had just found him, and I hadn't been able to go for help. If I remember correctly, it was my screams that brought them to the garden in the first place."

"Without an alibi you have to be arrested and wait for a trial. Since my Father is away, it could take some time before your fate is determined. You'll have to wait in the dungeon," she nodded at the guards and they grabbed Lya again.

She twisted, kicked and shrieked the whole way, but they finally managed to pull her to one of the doorways. Determined to break free, she focused all of her energy into one hard shove at the guards. Both of them went flying.

Lya staggered and almost fell. Zelda was staring at her, mouth open, eyes wide. Lya straightened and stared her in the eyes.

"I did not kill Link. If you won't look for the real murderer, then I will."

Zelda stared at her for another moment, then threw her head back and screamed "GUARDS!"

Lya ducked as Zelda hurled a fireball at her, and dashed out of the room. _What do I do? What do I do? This isn't good … _she rounded a corner and ended up face-to-face with a squadron of castle guards. Before they could react she had spun around and was running the other way.

_Can I make it up to my room?_ she wondered, thinking of the twin swords hanging on her wall. They had been a gift from Link a few months ago, after she had mentioned that she wanted to learn some new fighting styles. _Don't think about that now,_ she told herself when she felt tears threatening to spill.

The door to one of the servants' staircases was open, and she ran past a maid that had just reached the bottom. "Sorry!" Lya called over her shoulder, seeing the girl glare at her from the bottom of the stairs.

Navigating her way through the castle had never been one of Lya's strong points, and it was even more difficult now that she couldn't stop to ask for directions. Just because she hadn't seen any guards yet didn't mean that they were far behind.

Another stairway rose up on her right and she sprinted up to the third floor. By now she was panting and had a stitch in her side. _How much farther?_ She slid to a stop and backtracked a few steps. _There it is… _she took off running again, just as a group of guards came to the other end of the hallway.

"Halt!"

She threw the door to her room open and slammed it shut behind her, sliding the bar into place. It wouldn't hold them long, but it would hold them long enough.

Lya took a few precious seconds to look around her room before yanking the swords off the wall. She grabbed a few other items from around the room and stuffed them into a satchel. The guards had begun battering at her door, and she knew that it would only last another minute or so.

Silently thanking whoever had designed the castle, she slipped out her window and jumped down onto the roof of the east wing. There was barely enough room for her to get out, so she knew that the guards wouldn't fit. Still, she started running again, balanced precariously on the narrow strip of roof that wasn't sloped.

About halfway between her window and the end of the roof, something blindingly bright zoomed out of nowhere and tangled itself in Lya's hair.

"Hey! Hey! Listen!" it chimed in a lilting, high pitched voice. "This way!" It tugged Lya's hair, pulling her to the right and upsetting her balance.

"Whoa!" she shouted as she slipped and rolled down the roof. When she reached the edge she managed to grab onto it, holding on as the rest of her body flew off the roof. Now, hanging off the edge and panting heavily, Lya looked for some way to climb back up. The bright something or another had burrowed into Lya's hair so that it couldn't be seen.

"Shhhh," it hissed in her ear.

Before she could answer, another group of guards appeared, this time patrolling the roof.

"No sign of her, sir."

"Well, keep looking. The princess wants her found immediately. Apparently she's very dangerous. She was trained by the hero himself, and we're not to take any chances."

"Aye, sir."

Lya tried not to make any noise as she hung, listening to them march away.

"I could have sworn I'd seen her up here just a minute ago, sir." she heard one say just before they were out of earshot.

She sighed and struggled to pull herself up, but someone had other ideas. Another chime sounded next to her ear, and she had a feeling that she really wasn't going to like what happened this time. Glancing down, she noticed that the castle moat ran right next to the building on this side, traveling between it and the outer wall for a few hundred yards before a grate in the outer wall allowed it to flow outside. While she was looking down, the creature in her hair had untangled itself and flew up to the ledge where she was just barely hanging on. It giggled and before she could do more than glance back at it, it bounced on her fingers, sending a shock just strong enough to make her let go.

"Aaaahh!" Lya hit the water feet first and ended up completely submerged. The current wasn't very strong, but it did start pulling her towards the grate in the wall. Swimming up to the surface, Lya gasped and swatted at the light which now circled her head. "What was that for?" she demanded indignantly.

It giggled again and zipped off. "Over here!" its voice chimed back at her. It bounced against the grate a few times and seemed to look at her, expecting something. When Lya didn't move, it huffed angrily and dove beneath the water.

The light it gave off was just bright enough to see from the surface. Lya's curiosity got the best of her and she swam down after it. At the bottom of the moat, the bars had a gap big enough for someone her size to swim through. _I wonder if anyone else knows that this is here…_

After surfacing on the other side, Lya looked around, but the light was gone_. Okay, I guess I'm on my own again. _The current out here was stronger than within the castle walls, and after checking to make sure that no one was near, Lya let it carry her.

This particular channel didn't pass through Castle Town, it flowed directly out into Hyrule Field. Once she felt far enough away from the castle, she climbed out and laid on the river bank. _What a day_, she thought, running a finger along the hilt of one of her swords. For what felt like the millionth time in the past few hours, she fought back tears_. Don't think about him. There will be a time to think about him, but not now … find his killer first, then you can mourn…_

Closing her eyes, Lya inhaled deeply and allowed her muscles to relax. Her escape from the castle had left her more tired than she liked to admit, and she knew that she still had a long way to go. _Someone out there knows what really happened. I just have to find them._

"Hey!"

Lya jerked up into a sitting position and found herself staring at the floating ball of light. "Oh no, not you again… What are you, anyway?" she narrowed her eyes and studied it. While she looked, the light dimmed enough for her to make out a girl shaped figure with wings at the center of the light. She gasped and the light brightened again, and peals of laughter came from it. "You're a fairy!"

Bells chimed and the light bobbed up and down excitedly. "Yeah!"

"What do you want with me?" Lya watched as the fairy flew in circles around her head. Every few seconds it would chime and bounce in the air, but it didn't say anymore words. "I don't understand," Lya narrowed her eyes and stared at the fairy. "What do you want me to do?"

It froze in the air, then chimed angrily and turned a light shade of red before zooming forward and tugging on her hair. "This way!"

"Can you say more than two words at once? These short sentences are starting to get annoying," Lya raised one eyebrow at the fairy and crossed her arms.

"...No."

Lya hid a smile and turned away. "Where are you trying to take me?" Looking back at the fairy, she could see that it was mimicking her posture, arms crossed, head cocked slightly to the side.

It darted forward and gave another savage tug to her hair. "This way!"

"Okay, okay! I'm coming!" Lya stood as the fairy flew a few feet away and seemed to point.

"This way!"

"Yeah, I get it. That way."

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><p>AN: Please review! Reviews make me smile :D


	4. Chapter 3

Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long to update, my life has gotten really hectic lately.

Thanks to my beta, Riku's Music Lover, for looking over this for me!

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 3<strong>_

The fairy grew increasingly agitated as they crossed Hyrule and entered the forest that bordered the fields. It flew away for long periods of time, leaving Lya to find her own way through the trees. The farther in they went, the quieter it got, and she wondered again where it was leading her.

After a few hours, Lya stopped and looked around. The fairy circled her head and chimed angrily. Lya gave it a narrow eyed glare and shook her head.

"We're going in circles. Do you even know what way we're supposed to be going?"

The fairy drooped slightly and gave a mournful chime.

"So we're lost?" Lya sighed as the fairy drooped further and its light dimmed. "Okay, well now it's my turn to lead. We're going this way." She turned and stomped off, trying not to scream in frustration. _First I'm accused of Link's murder, and now I'm stuck in the middle of the forest with a fairy whose vocabulary consists of five words. Can this day get any better?_

"Seri!" a deep voice boomed from behind them. The fairy chimed in alarm and hid behind a tree. Lya spun around to look for the owner of the voice, but there was no one there. "I can see you, Seri," the voice growled, making the fairy whimper.

"Who's there?" Lya called out, her voice echoing through the trees. "What do you want?"

A dark, glowing orb descended from one of the trees and came toward them. Lya's hand went to one of her swords and she backed up a few steps. As the orb came closer, she saw that it had dark, nearly transparent wings. It stopped a few feet away and seemed to be emitting an air of general disapproval.

"You're a fairy, too," Lya crossed her arms and studied it. "What-"

"This is none of your concern, girl," it said. "Seri, why have you returned without the hero? And leading this … ordinary mortal. Were your instructions not clear?"

"Excuse me? 'Ordinary mortal'? What's that supposed to mean?" Lya swatted at the darker fairy.

"It means, girl, that you are not the one that we need. Seri has made a mistake, and I'm here to correct it." Lya raised an eyebrow at this. "I can see that you don't understand. Let me be blunt. You are not supposed to be here. Seri was supposed to bring the hero, Link. Instead, she brought you. Now, I must go to the castle and get Link myself. Seri, go home. I'll have words with you when I return, and the queen will, too, I have no doubt."

"Wait," Lya's voice had lost some of its steel. "Link is dead," she whispered just loud enough to be heard.

The dark fairy hovered for a moment, staring at her. "Seri. Come," it commanded as it circled the other fairy. Before Lya could do anything, the two had vanished.

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Two days later, Lya stumbled out of the forest and found herself on a bare plain. In the distance she could see the beginning of a rocky desert; somewhere in that desert, though she wasn't sure where, was Ganondorf's castle. The last time she had been in this area, the castle had been near the edge of the desert and the dark spires could be seen from the forest. However, the last time she had been in this area, the castle had exploded while she was still inside.

If anyone wanted Link dead, it would be Ganondorf. Lya shivered, remembering all of the threats that had led her to work for Ganondorf when she had first arrived in Hyrule. One of the most powerful threats had been aimed at Link, and Ganondorf had promised to kill him if she told anyone that she was working for him, or if she turned against him. She had done both in the end, and dealt a severe blow to the Dark Lord's forces. It wasn't hard to believe that he had finally gotten around to taking his revenge.

_Maybe this is where Seri was bringing me,_ Lya thought, _because she knew that Ganondorf was responsible. He must have rebuilt his castle somewhere farther away from the forest, but it shouldn't be that hard to find._

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Lya crouched behind a pile of boulders, examining the scene before her. Ganondorf's new castle sat less than a hundred paces away. It was larger and even more gloomy looking than the last one, and Lya couldn't help but wonder why villains found it necessary to live in such melodramatic structures.

Once she was sure that no one was nearby, she made a quick dash for the door. She pushed it open a few inches and peeked inside. When she didn't see anyone, she decided that it was safe and slipped inside. A few minutes later, she had to admit to herself that she was lost. _What else is new? _she thought bitterly.

After another set of hallways took her in a complete circle, Lya just started opening doors at random. This may not have been the best idea, considering the fact that this was Ganondorf's home and every door she opened increased the risk that she might be taken by surprise. She realized after a while that almost every room that she came across was empty, though it seemed that there would soon be things added. She finally managed to find a set of stairs leading up to the highest floor and she crept up them. If Ganondorf was anywhere in this castle, it would be on the highest floor.

At the top she found a huge organ, the type that was normally used to play the soundtrack for old horror movies. A feral smile crossed her face and she crept further into the room. _I'm definitely in the right place._ The next room contained prison cells, several of which were occupied, but she didn't stop to see who or what was in them. That could wait for later.

Through the next doorway she found what appeared to be a torture chamber. Just as she was about to turn and leave, she felt a slight stirring behind her, almost like someone breathing. Lya spun around and found Ganondorf leering down at her.

_So much for not being surprised..._

"My dear, how nice of you to drop in," he stepped closer to her as she tried to back away. "It's been such a long time, over a year I believe, since the last time I saw you. Tell me," his voice dropped menacingly, "how is that horrid boy treating you these days?"

At this Lya froze, and her expression darkened to the point where Ganondorf hesitated before speaking again. When the color of her eyes flickered from their usual brown to black with electric blue sparks flaring through her irises, he stared in astonishment. While he was distracted, Lya drew one of her swords and slammed the hilt into his nose.

Ganondorf landed on his back with blood flowing from his nose. He jumped as lightning flared outside of the window and rain began to pour. "So, she was telling the truth…" he muttered under his breath. He started to stand but found Lya's swords crossed at his throat.

I will only ask you this once, and if you dare lie to me, I swear that I will make your life a living hell for as long as I live. Did. You. Kill. Link?" her voice rose as she punctuated each word.

"Girl, if I had killed Link, why would I be out here planning ways to trap him?" he snapped back. He winced as she put more pressure on the swords at his throat.

"If it wasn't you, then you must know who did it," her eye color seemed to have shifted again, now it was more blue than black.

"I didn't know that he was dead until just now, so how could I know who killed him?"

"You must have some idea," she narrowed her eyes.

"My dear, did you ever consider the fact that I am not the only enemy that you darling Link had? It could have very easily been one of the others. Maybe you need to take a good look into his past. I'm sure you can find some answers there." Lya backed away slowly, keeping her swords pointed at Ganondorf. "May I suggest asking around on that little village on the coast where he spent some of his childhood? You know, start at the beginning and all that."

"Why are you being so helpful?" Lya shifted uneasily.

"I have my reasons," his cryptic answer made her hesitate, but not for long. As she left the castle, she could hear his deep maniacal laughter echoing down the hallways.


End file.
